Sudanese President Commits Himself

Published on 11th December 2007

The President of Sudan, Omar El Bashir has confirmed his commitment to adhere to the agreement between the Government, the European Union and African Union about the crisis in Darfur. In accordance with the trio’s meeting, resolving the crisis in Darfur needed a collective participation and the Sudanese government had a major role to play. President Omar was speaking during the AU-Africa Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.

Namibia and South Africa say No! to EPAs.

Efforts to conclude new trade agreements between the (EU) and some African nations hit a deadlock that saw Namibia and South Africa opt out of the European Partnership Agreements (EPAs). Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said the negotiations on EPAs are not as easy as they appear to be. He added that “The African countries are more and more afraid to be in some way pushed down by sudden competition, so they are asking for guarantees”. European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso also said the EPA negotiations were "difficult" while acknowledging the concerns of African states.

Omar Yar Adua on the Defense

Nigeria’s president Omar Yar Adua has defended the progress his government has done six months after he assumed office. Although most of his election pledges have not been achieved, he says that with the sharp and constructive criticism from the opposition, he will be able to achieve his goals within the four year period in office. He says his government has been slow but not dormant. The opposition has put him to task over his slow implementation of change. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with more than 140 million people.

Zoe’s Ark Group to be Charged

French humanitarian group, Zoe Ark involved in trying to smuggle 103 children in Chad will face criminal charges of attempted kidnapping and fraud. This was said by their lawyer Mr. Abou Lamia, who also confirmed that his clients were on hunger strike to protest against the French Government which they say has abandoned them.

Technology Saves Kenya Pilot

A Kenya Wildlife Service pilot, who survived in the thick Mt. Kenya Forest for eight days, was rescued by a team of rescuers who tracked his position using a mobile phone signal. Capt. Solomon Nyanjui was found unconscious in the thicket, treated and discharged from hospital after two weeks.

Kenya on the Alert on Locust Threat

The government of Kenya has put in place measures to combat fears of a locust invasion in the northern part of the country. Aeroplanes have been prepared to help in dumping pesticides on agricultural land to ward-off the invasion. The locusts which are believed to hail from northern Africa pose a deadly threat to the country, where many agriculture-dependent communities live on a fine balance, can too easily tip into hunger. Swarms of locusts can reach longer than 40 km and carry billions of insects capable of stripping fields of crops in seconds. They move with the direction.